| Title | ripples |
| Artist / Creator | Jeanne Dittmann |
| Artist's Nationality | United States |
| Place of Publication | Hewitt TX |
| Publication Date | 2025 |
| Process / Technique | Letterpress printed on a 19th century historic Washington-style iron hand press (R. Hoe & Co., New York and London, 1870) |
| Structure / Binding | Coptic stitch binding |
| Medium / Materials | Paper, letterpress printing, Coptic stitching |
| Paper Stock | Rives BFK paper (tan, 280 gsm) |
| Number of Pages | 48 |
| Dimensions (WxHxD) | 3 x 7 x 0.75 inches |
| Edition Size | Unique artist book |
| Signed & Numbered | Signed by the Artist (Unique) |
ripples by Jeanne Dittmann
The Christian ritual of communion has been both a constant in my life and a new experience everywhere that I partake in it. I wrote this poem about communion in a different lifetime -- over 30 years ago -- but it has found new life in this sculptural, letterpress printed book. I hand embossed concentric circles that go off the edges of the book, tying the pages together visually and offering a minimalistic illustration of the poem’s words. The Coptic stitching allows for the book to open fully when standing, so that the reader is holding a chalice the same size as that referenced in the poem. That connection between artist and reader, communicant to communicant, represents the profound meaning of this ritual that has been shared between Christians for nearly 2000 years, literally being handed from one person to another across the millenia.
Artist Bio
Jeanne Dittmann has been a calligrapher for over 30 years, but she has only just recently embarked on her journey into the world of letterpress. As coordinator of the Baylor Book Arts & Letterpress Lab, being surrounded by letters and book arts on a daily basis is a dream come true.